Chýnovská jeskyně

Chýnovská jeskyně (Chýnov Cave) is the oldest show cave in the Czech Republic, located a few kilometres northeast of the small town of Chýnov in the Tábor district of South Bohemia. Discovered by chance during quarrying in the mid-19th century, it is prized both for its unusual rock formations and for its role as one of Europe's most important bat hibernation sites.

How was the cave discovered?

The cave was uncovered on 14 July 1863 in the nearby Jůzov quarry, where local workers were extracting building stone. According to local tradition, a quarryman named Vojtěch Rytíř was the first to notice the passage, after he dropped his hammer into a crack in the rock while working. Interest in the find grew quickly, and just five years later, in 1868, the cave was opened to visitors — making it the first show cave anywhere in the historical lands of Bohemia and Moravia. That pioneering status still gives Chýnovská jeskyně a special place in the story of Czech underground tourism.

What makes this cave unusual?

Geologically, Chýnovská jeskyně is often described as having no equivalent elsewhere in the Czech Republic. It formed in an unusually rare type of crystalline limestone, which produced strikingly varied wall shapes and colouring rarely seen in other Czech karst caves. Unusual mineral formations have also been recorded here that are uncommon in the country's other limestone caves. The known passages add up to roughly 1,400 metres in total length, with a height difference of 74 metres between the highest and lowest points of the system. Close to a quarter of the mapped passages are permanently flooded, which limits full exploration and leaves room for further discoveries.

Why does the cave matter for nature conservation?

Today the cave and its surroundings are protected as a nature reserve, and its ecological value goes well beyond its appeal to visitors. It is the largest known natural winter hibernation site for Nathusius' pipistrelle bat in Europe, and ten different bat species in total have been recorded in its passages. Because of this hibernation, the cave itself is typically closed to the public during the winter months; during that period only the visitor centre at the entrance remains open, with its exhibition on the cave's geology and wildlife, and underground visits can sometimes still be arranged by prior agreement.

How do you get there?

The cave lies about three kilometres northeast of Chýnov, a small town in South Bohemia close to the larger city of Tábor. This makes it a convenient stop for anyone exploring the Tábor area and the upper Lužnice river valley, a region that combines natural attractions with a dense concentration of historical monuments. The site is easily reached by car, and a visitor centre at the entrance offers an exhibition on the cave's formation and the bats that winter inside it before visitors head underground.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Chýnovská jeskyně considered geologically unique in the Czech Republic? It formed in a rare type of crystalline limestone that produced unusually varied rock shapes and wall colouring, a combination not matched by any other Czech cave.

When and how was the cave discovered? On 14 July 1863, by chance, during stone quarrying at the nearby Jůzov quarry — local tradition credits quarryman Vojtěch Rytíř with the first discovery, after his hammer slipped into a crack in the rock.

Since when has the cave been open to the public? Since 1868, making it the oldest show cave in the historical lands of Bohemia and Moravia.

Do bats live in the cave? Yes — it is the largest known natural winter hibernation site for Nathusius' pipistrelle bat in Europe, with ten bat species recorded in total, which is why the cave is usually closed to visitors during the winter hibernation period.